I remember the first day of my first trip to Goa. It was almost sunset. I was hanging out at a beach shack in Mandrem. Even though I was in my early 20s with a mid-sized body, I cautiously sipped on sugar-free lemonade, avoiding anything fattening in hopes that I would rock my bathing suit.
Before arriving, I had been on a regimented diet and spent days rifling through dozens of swimsuits. I was convinced I had to look a certain way to “fit in”—assuming everyone there looked like they had stepped off the sets of Baywatch.
A 60-something woman in a two-piece—a sight I had rarely seen in India—caught my attention. Curious, I struck up a conversation with her. A few hours into exchanging stories, she revealed she was from Noida and often took solo trips to Goa just so she could be herself, in this way. “I feel liberated here, away from critical eyes and the weight of judgment,” she shared.
Despite its love-hate relationship with tourists, Goa has managed to create a space of freedom and body positivity for many Indian women who grapple with ageism and the pressure to conform to a certain image. The state’s long history of international tourism, Portuguese influence and liberal beach culture have normalised swimwear in a way that’s rare elsewhere in India. Neha Parulkar, a plus-size model and body positivity influencer from Mumbai, took a trip to the sunshine state simply to enjoy wearing her first-ever swimsuit. “Goa has an incredibly accepting energy where people come to just be and somehow, they all fit in. Since I was trying something new, I didn’t want to draw too much attention to myself. I knew that in Goa, I could walk down the beach in pyjamas and nobody would care.” Parulkar’s experience was a turning point—she now looks at herself with kinder eyes. “Goa didn’t force me to change anything about myself. It made space for exactly who I was. Wearing a swimsuit didn’t end up becoming about how I was looking; it became about how I was feeling. I was finally honouring my body; giving it the joy, play, sunshine and softness it deserves.”
It was Goa that encouraged Riya Arora, a new mother from Mumbai, to take baby steps towards rediscovering her confidence in a postpartum body. “Every woman has a body she’s used to, and when that changes, it can be hard to adjust. While even stepping into our resort pool initially made me feel conscious of my stretch marks and the weight I had gained, Goa’s open and diverse culture, along with the gentle encouragement from my husband, made it easier to feel comfortable in my skin.”
Research suggests that spending time in nature can help heal body image issues, and it’s no coincidence that an increasing number of domestic female travellers are participating in nature-based activities across Goa. “Being in the wild allows people to let go of performance—of how they should look, behave or feel,” explains Shradha Binani, founder of Amaraanth, a wellness boutique hotel in Varca. At Cabo Serai, an eco-resort in Cabo De Rama, over 60% of female guests now book forest baths, nature walks, biodiversity excursions and waterfall treks. At Kaia, a boutique property in Ashwem that also offers outdoor experiences, around 40% of its weekday bookings during off-season come from women travelling either solo or with female friends. This indicates a perceptible shift towards getaways that reacquaint women with their bodies—a conscious step away from blackout weekends at HillTop or Shiva Valley.
For Miloni Vikram, a software engineer from Indore, learning to surf in Goa became more than a new hobby. Once shamed for her petite physique, getting on a surfboard felt like her way of claiming space in a world that, until then, had underestimated her. “People assumed I was weak, until surfing showed them just how wrong they were.” She credits the state’s refreshingly inclusive surfing community. “Watching women of all sizes and age groups from across the country take to the waves inspired me to do the same. I watched mothers teach their kids and women paddle out with their dogs.”
For Rachna Dhondiyal, a mountain biker from Nainital, riding a scooty in Goa alongside women wearing tank tops and bermuda shorts felt more freeing than scaling the Himalayas. “It was a moment of ease I had rarely experienced coming from an industry that’s still quite male-dominated.”
Diana D’Souza, a marketeer and frequent traveller from Kochi, has a controversial take. “I hate to admit it, but what makes the difference is being around locals vs being around international tourists,” she says. “Areas like Morjim, Ashwem and Agonda are known to attract visitors from overseas. Over time, these places draw in people with creative and liberal mindsets, and ultimately become more inviting to female travellers from India because they feel safer.”
As Goa continues to grapple with overcrowding, rising costs, unreliable public transport and tourist scams, one thing is clear: it is no utopia. Yet, for women like me, it’s where self-love and quiet transformations become possible—whether it’s to steal a breather from the judgment back home or to discover a lasting love for yourself.
Also read:
Goa’s beloved Serendipity Arts Festival will travel to Birmingham next year
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16 things to do in Goa—recommended by a local who knows there’s a lot to do in Goa
